They would have settled for winning ugly but instead Cambuslang Rangers racked up a marvellous 9-1 victory over Benburb on Saturday that was sheer delight for footballing purists.

And yet again former Celtic signing Liam Gormley was on the scoresheet as he, first season Junior prospect Dale Simeone and seasoned campaigner Thomas 'Deco’ Kilmartin helped themselves to hat tricks as the Wee Gers simply blew the Bens away with a blistering display of attacking football.

In particular, the trio were at their most clinical over an opening 45 minutes which came to a close with the shell-shocked Govan outfit trailing 7-1 and reduced to ten men after a mixture of frustration and embarrassment got the better of Kieron Blackwood who saw red following an angry confrontation at 5-1.

Dyed-in-the-wool Bens fans were not best pleased at their team succumbing to such a heavy defeat.

Yet they put aside their disappointment to sportingly take to social media and praise the eye-catching contribution of Gormley who finished at New Tinto Park with three goals and four assists to his name.

The latest notches on his scoring belt mean the 23-year-old striker has now amassed a stunning total of 14 goals in just seven starts for the Somervell Park side and this coming weekend’s home game against St Roch's which is set to be his final outing of 2017 may also prove to be his last for the Central First Division leading lights if his sensational scoring exploits have caught the attention of Senior clubs up and down the country.

A move upstairs would be well received by Wishaw-based Gormley who makes no secret of his desire to have another crack at forging a football career for himself.

He said: "Celtic initially signed me from Motherwell only to release me after three years and I then moved South to play with Burnley where I netted seven goals in four games but their preference was for a more physical front man and I was let go.

“Coming back to Scotland led to me joining East Fife under Billy Brown however he also signed Colin Samuel around the same time and Billy preferred to go with experience rather than gamble on a 19-year old producing the goods.

“My next club was Queen's Park where the threat of relegation saw Gardiner Speirs similarly refuse to give me a regular jersey so I opted to leave for the Lowland Leagues with East Kilbride.

“Unfortunately I picked up an injury not long after going there around the time they were embarking on their great Scottish Cup run and it was proving so difficult to get back into the team that I jumped at the chance to be reinstated into the Juniors and my wanting to play at the highest level possible played a part in me signing for Kilbirnie Ladeside in the Super Premier Division .

“ But six or seven games into my time at Valefield I was only getting 15 minutes playing time at best coming on as a substitute.

"So I had a heart-to-heart talk with the manager Stevie Swift and he was true to his word in not standing in my way if I was unhappy.

“That was around mid-October time and Paul McColl invited me in to Cambuslang Rangers where everything felt right from the moment I entered the dressing room for the first time and I have gone on to hit a decent run of form because of the manager playing me regularly.”

Wee Gers fans will be hoping Liam and his team-mates have kept a few goals in the tank for this week’s top of the table contest with second placed St Roch's …the only team to have inflicted a league defeat on McColl’s men this season.

The Candy Rock will be extra determined to do the league double on their hosts after going down to a surprise weekend defeat at the James McGrory Stadium against Forth Wanderers for whom Willie McLaren, Roddy Hunter and Barry McGeechan were on target.

Slipping up in this manner opened the door for Larkhall Thistle to move up level on points with St Roch's after Matty Clarke snatched a last-minute winner in a 2-1 Gasworks Park victory over fellow challengers Rossvale.

And coming up on the rails to figure in the promotion race are Wishaw , now up into fifth top place after a 4-1 defeat of Lesmahagow wher the highlight was a hat trick from Ryan Smillie .

On the comings and goings front comes word of ex-Pollok hitman Ian Diack joining Kilsyth Rangers while ex-Shettleston midfielder Jordan Dalzell has put pen to paper for Shotts Bon accord whose former full back Paul Burns is on the open to transfer list at Larkhall Thistle.

Fixtures for Saturday, December 17 (Kick-offs 1.45pm)

McBookie.com Super Premier Division.

Beith v Arthurlie, Rob Roy v Cumnock, Troon v Auchinleck Talbot Glenafton v Kilwinning Rangers , Kilbirnie Ladeside v Hurlford Utd ,Pollok v Largs Thistle .

McBookie.com Super First Division.

Shotts Bon Accord v Irvine Vics, Clydebank v Kilsyth Rangers ,Renfrew v Blantyre Vics, Girvan v Cumbernauld Utd, Maryhill v Yoker Athletic, Irvine Meadow v Petershill , Rutherglen Glencairn v Shettleston.

McBookie.com Central First Division

Wishaw v Neilston , Bellshill Athletic v Lemahagow, Cambuslang Rangers v St Roch's, Benburb v Johnstone Burgh , Vale of Clyde v Thorniewood Utd , , Larkhall Thistle v Greenock, Forth Wanderers v Rossvale.

McBookie.com Central Second Division.

Newmains Utd v Port Glasgow, Glasgow Perthshire.v Gartcairn, Lanark Utd v East Kilbride Thistle, Vale of Leven v Dunipace, St Anthony's v Ashfield, Newmains Utd v Carluke Rovers v Royal Albert.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League.

Kello Rovers v Annbank Utd , Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Saltcoats Vics, Dalry Thistle v Lugar Boswell, Whitletts Vics v Muirkirk, Craigmark v Darvel, Maybole v Ardeer Thistle.